More Than A Promise

MORE THAN A PROMISE

THE NORTH ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT REIMAGINES EDUCATION

North Orange County is blessed with a plethora of higher education options. But even as the choices of where to go for an education multiply, studies show that it is taking students an ever-increasing amount of time to reach their educational goals. In the past, students have been able to move through community college in two years—now the average is four years. The same with getting a “four year” education—many student stake five or six years to get their degrees. That extra time comes with a cost: more student debt and less economic mobility.

At the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD),new leadership has tackled this issue of how to move studentsfaster—from high school, to college, onto degrees, certificates,and jobs. The administrations at the District, Fullerton College,Cypress College, and North Orange Continuing Education are intenton creating new processes and programs that help students withaffording college, becoming more directed in their studies, andsecuring jobs faster.

THE NORTH ORANGE PROMISE

The need for a college-educated workforce is greater than ever. By2020 more than 60 percent of U.S. jobs will require postsecondaryeducation. Unfortunately, the cost of higher education is prohibitivefor a great many students. In October 2017, the North Orange CountyCommunity College District launched the “North Orange Promise,”an innovative program that will increase college accessibility andaffordability for incoming freshmen from the Anaheim Union HighSchool District who attend Fullerton College, Cypress College, orNorth Orange Continuing Education. The North Orange Promiseguarantees a tuition-free first year for qualifying students, with theadded incentives of free book rentals and priority registration.

“We are dedicated to expanding the educational opportunities forour community,” said NOCCCD Chancellor Dr. Cheryl Marshall. “TheNorth Orange Promise will ensure that college remains accessiblefor every student with the will to learn.”

The program was launched at a fundraising event on October 19, 2017, during which Disneyland Resort pledged a $50,000 endowment to show its support of higher education and the North Orange Promise. “We applaud the North Orange County Community College District for launching the Promise program in the community we have called home for over 60 years,” said Jill Bolton, director of corporate citizenship, Disneyland Resort. “Our support is part of our long-standing commitment to Anaheim students and the education community.”

GUIDED PATHWAYS

Another obstacle students face is selecting a major or deciding on career goals when they enter into college. There are literally hundreds of programs, degrees, and certificates to choose from. Many incoming students have not had sufficient opportunity to identify their strengths and interests, and they are unfamiliar with how different majors connect to possible careers. That’s where “Guided Pathways” comes in. The basic idea is that instead of the old “cafeteria-style” model of presenting courses without context, Guided Pathways instead creates a clear and cohesive structure for students to choose from. NOCCCD recognizes the power of this system of simplification and has begun to redesign its programs and services to improve the student experience along the four guided pathways pillars: 1) create clear curricular pathways to employment and further education, 2) help students get on a path, 3) keep students on a path, and 4) ensure that students are learning along their path.

“One of the main cornerstones of Guided Pathways is the creation of Meta Majors,” said Cypress College President Dr. JoAnna Schilling. “These are really areas of interest that a student chooses before declaring a specific major which help them to make informed decisions. Cypress College will be creating these Meta Majors, with the input of students and staff during the 2017-18 year, with the goal of having these in place for students by fall 2019.”

CENTER FOR ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS

The last part of the student’s journey is often to seek employment. Here again, colleges are working to streamline the students’ entry into the workforce with a mix of innovative certificate offerings, specialized career fairs, and launching a new Center for Academic Internships at Fullerton College. Though Fullerton College currently has a robust internship program for many of its departments, when the option to expand its offerings was presented, the administration which will help them become reacted quickly. “The college was able to secure over $100,000 successful employees. from the state-wide Strong Workforce Proposal funds in 2016-17 to establish our new Center for Academic Internships,” said Fullerton College President Dr. Greg Schulz. “We know there are a great many benefits of internships for students, including: gaining valuable work experience before they graduate, applying knowledge from coursework to on-the-job situations, reality-testing tentative career choices, and meeting and working with professionals to establish contacts for networking. Because Fullerton College is ‘radically student-centered,’ we’re doing everything possible to connect students to eager employers in our area.”

As one of the largest and most respected noncredit institutions in the state, North Orange Continuing Education (NOCE) has long been an incubator for local businesses looking for custom certificates or retraining for their employees seeking advancement. “Sometimes the nontraditional choice makes the most sense,” said NOCE Provost Valentina Purtell. “Our school offers the building blocks to create the skills necessary to be marketable for your next career goal.” Popular certificate programs at NOCE include Pharmacy Technician, Electrical Trainee, and Administrative Assistant.

At their core, all of these measures are focused on reducing barriers to student success. “Our job is not simply to schedule classes,” said Marshall. “We need to be true partners with our students on their learning journey. The quality of their education is important, but so is the quality of their experience. We want to help reduce the fear factor associated with higher education, and give our students the skills and confidence they need to ensure the growth and well-being of our community.”